Innehållsförteckning för December 2022 från Four Wheeler

POWER SMART Make sure you’re in the know about your energy consumption at all times in the backcountry with the BioLite BaseCharge 1500. The Energy Odometer tracks the watt-hours used while the Advanced Smart Dashboard’s interactive display shows real-time data on power allocation, charge times, and battery life when using multiple items at once. The BaseCharge 1500 is said to be a lightweight power solution that can run a blender as it mixes up to 173 frozen beverages, wirelessly charge your mobile devices, and stack easily in the back of your 4x4 with a rugged, packable design. INFO: BioLite, bioliteenergy.com ROLLING STATEMENT Make a statement with your Jeep Wrangler with the Black Rock Series 955B Detour Matte Black Wheels from Summit Racing. The one-piece aluminum wheels have a five-spoke design…

With its roots tracing back to 1966, Ford has truly honored the off-road heritage of its Bronco brand with an Ultra4-inspired SUV that compromises nothing for the dirt enthusiast. The ’22 Bronco Raptor is unapologetically fast across rough tracks, confident and composed on the blacktop, and one of the most adept machines available from the factory for picking through hair-raising obstacles. Ultra4 racing is an off-road decathlon. Excelling at these events requires a machine that can navigate punishing mud and deep sand, grind across rocks, twist over logs, and throw down the raw power to conquer sloppy hillclimbs and the open desert. Ultra4 racing is the heart of the Bronco Raptor, and the integration of competition-validated equipment elevates it beyond the other vehicles in the Bronco lineup, where it joins…

ABOUT LUNCHBOX LOCKERS I’ve been reading Four Wheeler for more years than I can remember. My first adventures off-roading started with a ’61 VW Microbus then on to a ’68 VW Bug. I’m not sure if my off-roading technique was fearless or insane. Maybe a little of both. In 1986, I bought my first 4x4, a Bronco II. Having matured some and with the Bronco II being my daily driver I kept my exploits to the mild trail-only side. My ’96 Dakota 4x4 (bought with 95,000 miles on it), also a daily driver/work truck, saw a few trails. When the rear differential started making noise I had it swapped out with a rebuilt unit containing a limited slip. I did not know that the lunchbox locker existed at the time.…

December 2-3 What: Open Trail Ride Where: Garrettsville, Ohio Hosted by: Southington Off Road Info: southingtonoffroad.com December 2-3 What: The Revenge 150 Where: El Paso, Texas Hosted by: Southwest Texas Off Road Racing Info: storracing.com December 2-4 What: Central Florida International Auto Show Where: Orlando, Florida Hosted by: Orange County Convention Center Info: orlandoautoshow.com December 2-4 What: Desert Dreams UTV Fest Where: Parker, Arizona Hosted by: La Paz County Fair Grounds Info: utvoffroadadventures.com December 2-4 What: International Off-Road & UTV Expo Where: Glendale, Arizona Hosted by: State Farm Stadium Info: thedirtexpo.com December 3 What: Holiday Toy Drive Where: Copemish, Michigan Hosted by: Twisted Trails Off Road Park Info: twistedtrailsoffroadpark.com December 9-10 What: Hometown Heroes Toy Drive Truck and Car Show Where: Marble Falls, Texas Hosted by: Squarebody Nation Info: 432/813-8302…

XJ WITH A HISTORY I recently began restoring my dad’s ’99 Cherokee XJ. In 1999, my family drove it all the way to Alaska on the Alaskan Highway, and for years it was our main hunting rig. Now in his mid-80s, my dad no longer hunts (or drives), but since the Jeep only has 144,000 miles on it, I decided it still has a few more adventures left in it. However, after sitting undriven for many months during the pandemic, it was in need of some serious TLC. Upgrades began small and got progressively bigger. They include a professional interior detailing and a new antenna, wiper blades, air filter, and rear speakers. I also had the air conditioning fixed, the headliner board repaired, and the sagging headliner replaced. Then it…

Wheeling with fullsize 4x4s is just different. Oh sure, we all hit the same trails and we share lots of common core parts like Dana 60s, mud-terrains, V-8s, and so on, but it takes something a little extra to build a fullsize, as there aren’t a lot of the “bolt-on-and-go” recipes available. That lack of standardization can make for an exciting time when you get a bunch of fullsize 4x4s together, and that’s exactly the point of the Fullsize Invasion (FSI) gatherings that have brought friends from all over the U.S. to wheel together for the main event in the red rocks of Utah. But after a decade of invading the amazing town of Moab, the Fullsize Invasion crew ventured on to see other red rocks. For 2022, the Invasion…

The ’22 Ford Bronco Everglades stands out from the other Broncos in the lineup with its factory-installed Warn winch, integrated and honest-to-goodness snorkel, and a few tweaks that help it go deeper than (almost) all its Bronco brethren. Starting with a four-door Black Diamond Bronco, the ’22 Ford Bronco Everglades receives Ford’s Mid package trim and the Sasquatch off-road goodies, which include 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, 35-inch (LT315/70R17) Goodyear Territory mud-terrains, electronic locking front and rear differentials with a 4.70:1 final drive ratio, piggyback Bilstein shocks, and a hardtop with factory cargo rails and crossbars. The Bronco Everglades gets one engine option and that’s the 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 good for 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. This choice was made to save weight, which makes up for the additional upfront…

Without vintage Jeeps there’s a strong argument that off-roading as we know it wouldn’t exist. Flatfenders have been going off-road for over 75 years. These capable and iconic little vehicles were integral in winning World War II and afterwards made for the first readily available four-wheel-drive vehicles, which gave birth to the off-road aftermarket. The earliest mass-produced Jeeps were powered by the 134ci Go Devil engine, a flathead four-cylinder. It’s a simple, relatively torquey little engine that to this day still proves its mettle and is a recognizable stock part for enthusiasts. As you know if you love old Jeeps, wheeling these rigs in stock form is currently undergoing somewhat of a resurgence, and the fact is that while modified Jeeps are fun, mostly stock vintage Jeeps are also an…

SPONSORED BY Little did Ram Truck engineers know back in 2005 that when they reincarnated the iconic Power Wagon, they were building the ideal pickup for overlanding in the minds of Coloradoans Harrison and Janice Phizacklea. The couple considers their ’16 Ram 2500-based Power Wagon perfectly suited to their family’s passion for long weekends and weeklong trips exploring the backcountry of their beloved western states. From the 410-horsepower 6.4L Hemi under the hood to a factory suspension and traction abilities that far surpass any ¾-ton 4x4 pickup on the market, the stock Power Wagon is a beast. Harrison improved its prowess with the addition of a mild 3-inch AEV lift in the front and AEV 2-inch lift in the rear, along with Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 helper air springs and…

This was Michael Rhodes’ first Jeep that he bought when he was in his early 20s. Every modification was done by him (except that custom paintjob), it’s never been trailered, and 42 years later, we caught up with Michael to find out a bit more about Bad Attitude, his ’75 Jeep CJ-5 originally featured in the July 1990 issue of Four Wheeler. Michael enjoyed attending 4x4 jamborees and wanted to build a vehicle that could strut its stuff on the obstacle courses found at the events. He wanted a Jeep, and he found a CJ-5 locally on a farm. Its owner used it for chores about the property and its list of add-ons was occupied solely by a set of G78 snow tires. Michael traded his ’69 Charger for the…

In the News • For 20 years running, the Jeep brand has been called the most patriotic of them all in the Brand Keys survey. And this year was no different, because “Consumers surveyed based results on brands that best embody the value of patriotism in 2022.” • J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study: Porsche was the highest-ranking premium brand. Ram and GMC ranked behind Dodge for mass-market brand, with Jeep doing a fast-inch upward. Among the brands getting the most model awards: Stellantis for the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Wagoneer and Ram 1500, and Ford for the Bronco Sport and Super Duty. • In case you’re committed to not only the postal service, but only stamps that are automotive in theme, know that USPS…

When you think of military jeeps, the legendary WWII Willys MB and Ford GPW are usually what comes to mind. However, there have been many other significant military Jeeps designed for use in the services. One of those is the Kaiser Jeep M715. The Kaiser Jeep M715 was based on the civilian-issue Gladiator. It was manufactured from 1967 to 1969, and it saw service in Vietnam and Korea. Built to handle severe-duty conditions, the Kaiser Jeep offered strong axles and four-wheel-drive. It was sort of the red-headed stepchild for a long time among Jeep enthusiasts looking to build trail machines because of its size and weight, but that has changed with the growth of overlanding and vehicle-based camping in recent years. Vehicles like the M715 (and classic civilian Gladiators from…

This ’96 Bronco was the subject of a years-long custom build at Rob Bonney Fabrication (RBF), in Peoria, Arizona. We’d seen the Bronco around town before Andy Wyzevich bought it as a base for his project and RBF’s Rob Bonney and Shane Thompson formed it into what you see here. The Bronco had been used locally for some sort of glider school—little did anyone know it would soon be the one flying. Andy wanted a luxury prerunner that could do anything, and the result is just that: a Bronco that floats like a butterfly at speed on the dirt but can also easily crawl a trail anywhere in the world. No part of the Bronco was left untouched. RBF began with full roll and engine cages that are tied to…

“Quick, easy, and cheap. You can pick two out of three,” the saying goes. For Michael DePalma, building his ’52 Ford pickup was not quick. Or easy for that matter, but it has been relatively cheap. “I’ve probably got less than $10,000 tied up in it in parts,” Michael revealed, “but I probably have 10,000 hours into it also!” Michael says that he has rebuilt the truck about eight times in the 30 years since he picked up the cab, hood, and one door with his brother Aaron Bales for $50. The vintage sheetmetal has sat on three different frames over the years and had multiple engine and transmission combinations. The current chassis is from a ’77 Ford F-150 short box that belonged to his friend Dan Webb. “We rolled…

Like the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And, sadly, we’ve reached that point in the test cycle of our 2021 SUV of the Year award-winning ’21 GMC Yukon AT4. Thankfully, however, we were able to manage a properly impressive 23,300 miles in our relatively short time with the Yukon AT4. We covered a full lifetime of possible uses by taking long road trips, towing trailers, packing all three rows with people, shuttling kids to school, and off-roading on some of the coolest landscapes the western United States has to offer. Through it all, the Yukon AT4 was a steadfast and loyal companion, taking us everywhere we wanted to go with quiet grace and composure. These past months solidified the fact that we made the…